Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Pia Sundhage took some time after training today to speak with a group of youth soccer coaches from Michigan, talking about the USA's run to the gold medal as well as the strengths of her team and what the U.S. women need to improve to stay on top of the world. After her talk, she answered a bunch of questions. During one answer, she shared a quote that crystallized her goals of moving the USA towards a more technical, creative and unpredictable attack, while still maintaining the fantastic defense and legendary winning mentality so closley associated with the U.S. team. To paraphrase, she compared the growth of women's soccer in the southern European countries to the historic strengths of the nothern European countries saying, "(in the north), we take care of the goal, (in the south), they take care of the ball." Bounce that around in the 'noggin for a bit.

About U.S. Soccer

As the governing body of soccer in all its forms in the United States, U.S. Soccer has helped chart the course for the sport in the USA for more than 90 years. In this time, the Federation’s mission statement has been very simple and very clear: to make soccer, in all its forms, a preeminent sport in the United States and to continue the development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels.